RAZOR WOUNDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23772, 27 September 1940, Page 9

RAZOR WOUNDS

CHEMIST IN COURT ALLEGED ATTACK ON WOMAN SCUFFLE IN HOTEL BAR [BT TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT] WELLINGTON, Thursday A scuffle in the private bar of a Wellington hotel during which a man was alleged to have slashed at a woman with a razor led to the appearance in the Magistrate's Court to-day of Edward Henry Golding, chemist, aged 37, who pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Ida Winifred Whitelaw so as to cause her actual bodily harm. Golding, for whom Mr. A. J. Mazengarb appeared, reserved his defence and was committed by Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was refused. Eight witnesses were called by the police. Ida Winifred Whitelaw said she was divorced from her husband about five years ago. She had been living with accused for short periods in Auckland and Wellington. During the past two years she had agreed to marry him, but left him because ho was causing trouble all the time and drinking to excess. On September 20 she went to an hotel to see a girl friend, and while waiting visited the private bar. She entered alone and ordered a drink for herself. Accused subsequently came in, and on seeing him she tried to get out of the bar discreetly and without saying anything. Golding blocked her way, and she told him she did not wish to speak to him. Witness tried to slip past accused and leave the bar. She saw him with an open-blade razor in his hand. She was terrified. Golding attacked her with this razor, and she tried to take cover by diving down among some men customers. "While I endeavoured to get away he seemed to be slashing at me with the razor," witness said. "I was really terrified and was badly cut on the left arm near the shoulder." Mr. Maz.engarb intimated that he did not propose calling any evidence at this stage.